The
Florida Scrub- Jay is an inquisitive and intelligent species, and is the
only species of bird endemic to the U.S. state of Florida. It is
remarkably tame and has been known to take food from human hands. The
Florida Scrub-Jay is found only in Florida scrub habitat, an ecosystem
found only in central Florida. Scrub habitat has dwindled over the past
several decades as Florida has continued to develop. Environmental
groups within the state are taking a stand in the preserving of the
Scrub-Jay habitat through controlled burns and clearing large trees so
as to increase the size of the scrub habitat. There have been attempts
to change the state bird to the Florida Scrub-Jay due to the Northern
Mockingbird is the state bird of several other states, while the
scrub-jay is exclusive to Florida. The Florida Scrub-Jay was officially
listed as a threatened state species in 1975 by Florida Fish and
Wildlife Conservation. However, environmentalists hope that current
conservation efforts should help the species population to at least
stabilize.
Tiger Creek Preserve Conservancy maintains and improves habitat for many
threatened and endangered plants and animals in the country, including
some that exist nowhere else on earth. For more information on Florida's
Ancient Island visit The Tiger Creek Preserve.